Angela Horton Gapay

I am getting some good advice through this discussion, thank you, I
hope I remember it when I am at my next road race. Where ever I am in
the lineup.

On May 19, 2009, at 8:56 AM, Kim Rueter wrote:

> In addition to reading the group, you can read the road and wind too!
> Headwinds wreak havoc on the pack. No one wants to be at the front.
> Everyone
> is jostling for a sheltered position. Anticipate this and leave a
> few more
> inches between you and the wheel in front. At Silverton we had a
> head wind
> on that false flat heading north back to the school. We had LOTS of
> surging,
> bumping, and wheel touching going on in this stretch. Thanks to
> some amazing
> recoveries, no one went down. Yeah for that!
>
> Anytime you're near the front of the pack (first 3-4 rows) into a
> headwind,
> please leave a few more inches between you and the wheel in front
> to "suck
> up" pace fluctuations. Moving to the side to take wind isn't always an
> option if we're 3 or 4 wide in the lane, but GENTLE and minimal
> brake use
> would have helped minimize the surges that ripple thru the pack.
>
>
>
>
> On 5/19/09 1:30 AM, "Sarah Tisdale" wrote:
>
>> Here are a few more...
>>
>>
>>> 2. practice getting your water bottle in and out while pedaling.
>>> Here's one
>>> way: move one hand to the center of the handlebars, let go with
>>> other hand,
>>> grab bottle, drink, replace bottle, return hands. Repeat.
>>
>> Practice this until you can do drink (and replace the bottle) without
>> looking down.
>>
>>
>>> 6. know your bike! know what size it is. know that if there is
>>> a gap in
>>> front of another rider, it has to be big enough for you and your
>>> bike to fit
>>> in it, otherwise you'll cause a big crash.
>>
>> Another version of this is to develop an understanding for how long
>> the front wheel of your bike and the rear wheel of others' bikes are.
>> When riding in packs, you'll want to stay close for drafting, but you
>> don't want to be constantly looking down at the wheel in front of
>> you.
>> You want to keep your eyes up and "scanning" - looking several
>> people
>> in front of you, then back to the person just in front of you.
>> Eventually you get good at telling how close you are without even
>> looking down at the wheels. Practice it on training rides.
>>
>>
>>> 9. don't use your brakes as much--try using your body to catch
>>> wind to slow
>>> you down.
>>
>> Another way to avoid braking is to "read" what the group is doing.
>> You should be looking ahead (see above). When the group is fanning
>> out wide across the road, it's usually because they're slowing. When
>> the group ahead is narrowing, it's usually because they're speeding
>> up. Also, if the person in front of you moves out to the side or
>> sits
>> up, she's probably trying to slow down. If she's hunkering down low
>> right behind (depending on wind direction), she's probably
>> speeding up
>> or staying constant. Listen for shifting. Lots of loud shifting
>> means something is going on - usually it means the pack is speeding
>> up. If you hear shifting, look up! By "reading" the pack, you can
>> often react long before the person in front of you. Getting good at
>> this can also help reduce the effect of "surging".
>>
>>
>> 17. Remember mentally what gear you're in so you don't have to look
>> down. Looking down = bad.
>>
>> 18. Practice riding close. When riding in a peloton your handlebars
>> will get pretty close to the rider next to you. This shouldn't freak
>> you out, but it probably will at first. Practice this in training.
>> When I ride with my bars <6 inches from a teammate, it becomes
>> painfully clear if (when) I'm not keeping my line. This is even
>> harder when you're racing hard in a crosswind.
>>
>> 19. Don't "half-wheel". Half-wheeling, or "overlapping wheels"
>> occurs when the front of your front wheel is ahead of the tail of the
>> rear wheel of the rider in front of you. By itself it seems
>> innocuous, but if the rider in front of you makes a sudden move you
>> can end up rubbing tires and (depending on severity, luck, and some
>> skill) the rider in back very often crashes. The rider in front
>> almost never crashes. Of course, even if you try to avoid it there
>> will always be times when overlapping wheels happens. When it does,
>> you should have alarm bells ringing in your head. If you're
>> overlapping wheels, you need to watch the person in front of you
>> *very* carefully and be prepared to get out of the way very
>> quickly if
>> they move toward you. If you're a beginner (or even intermediate),
>> try not to overlap wheels at all.
>>
>> 20. Know the other racers. Know who's a strong sprinter can help
>> you
>> choose a good wheel in the sprints. Know who has endurance (and who
>> doesn't), so you don't have to chase down weaker breaks. Know
>> who's a
>> good climber so you can practice your curses and insults as they ride
>> off ahead of you on the hills.
>>
>> Happy racing!
>> Sarah
>>
>>
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org
>>> [mailto:obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of Rachael
>>> Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:45 PM
>>> To: obra_women@list.obra.org
>>> Subject: [OBRA Women] Racing with 4s
>>>
>>> One thing I have noticed from reading these email discussions on
>>> which
>>> category should race with which is a regular occurrence of
>>> comments about
>>> cat 4 riders being unsafe,
>>> doing stupid things, causing crashes... but there hasn't been
>>> much in the
>>> way of describing what those unsafe riding tactics/actions are. I
>>> don't
>>> think that new cat 4 women want to avoid crashes any less than
>>> the rest of
>>> the field. So far from reading I have picked up on "relax your
>>> arms" thanks
>>> to a very colorful post on the general list. I would like to
>>> encourage more
>>> description of the mistakes that newbies make that you are
>>> referring to.
>>> Maybe less will be made?
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> OBRA_Women mailing list
>>> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
>>> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> OBRA_Women mailing list
>>> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
>>> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> OBRA_Women mailing list
>> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
>> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA_Women mailing list
> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women

Angela Horton Gapay

Great comments from Sarah, and I appreciate Heather's points too. I
am new to racing but have been doing group rides sometimes at fast
pace for years so I am quite comfortable with getting myself where I
need or want to be without talking too much.
In the handful of races I have done, I usually keep my comments
focussed on safety and encouragement and am sometimes surprised with
how much talking about what a person is going to do as if I am
suppose be a part of the plan. I keep listening and trying to make
sense of it usually asking myself, "is it good for me? will I
endanger others or put myself out of where I think I should be." I
listen, I don't always adhere to what I hear and that is because I
don't understand or I am claiming my own priorities. So, like I said,
I appreciate Heather's comments too
Thanks All, Angela

On May 19, 2009, at 7:36 AM, Heather VanValkenburg wrote:

> Thanks Sarah-
>
> Sarah makes some great points. I just want to elaborate on a couple
> of points.
>
> 19. Don't "half-wheel". Half-wheeling, or "overlapping wheels"
> occurs when the front of your front wheel is ahead of the tail of the
> rear wheel of the rider in front of you. By itself it seems
> innocuous, but if the rider in front of you makes a sudden move you
> can end up rubbing tires and (depending on severity, luck, and some
> skill) the rider in back very often crashes. The rider in front
> almost never crashes. Of course, even if you try to avoid it there
> will always be times when overlapping wheels happens. When it does,
> you should have alarm bells ringing in your head. If you're
> overlapping wheels, you need to watch the person in front of you
> *very* carefully and be prepared to get out of the way very quickly if
> they move toward you. If you're a beginner (or even intermediate),
> try not to overlap wheels at all.
>
> On that note, do not be surprised to see a racer do this on
> purpose, although I wouldn't call it half wheeling, as I would wind
> protection. This is more of a tactical piece, but when the wind is
> gusting from the north and you are riding northwest (clockwise on
> the front straight), riding on someone's hip is much easier than
> behind her. Much, much, MUCH energy can be saved by staying out of
> the wind, and this is not always going to be right behind the rider
> in front of you. If you want to safely experiment with this, you
> can let the rider in front of you know. I will often ride up along
> side her to her hip, so that she can see me out of the corner of
> her eye, then drift back to where I know the quietest spot is. Or
> you don't even have to overlap the wheel, depending on where wind
> is coming from. Sometimes it works just to right to one side or the
> other of the back wheel, but not overlap, while staying completely
> behind.
>
> As your group becomes more experienced, an echelon will form every
> time the wind is strong. An echelon is where each rider is
> overlapping the person in front on them, sometimes just a little,
> sometimes all the way to that person's hip. This requires some
> trust among the races and knowing what's going on.
>
> 20. Know the other racers. Know who's a strong sprinter and can
> help you
> choose a good wheel in the sprints. Know who has endurance (and who
> doesn't), so you don't have to chase down weaker breaks. Know who's a
> good climber so you can practice your curses and insults as they ride
> off ahead of you on the hills.
>
> No one get offended here, but In general, the "big girls" can
> sprint and the "little girls" can climb. When racing at PIR, I
> always look for the bigger butt to follow, matter whether I know
> her or not. As long as the group is together, she's the best wheel
> for me to follow. I know others are trying to find me too! It's
> quiet back there! Like Sarah says, pay attention to women that
> attack often and who has the endurance to stay away.
>
> Yesterday there was a comment about letting people know what you
> are doing by telling, or pointing, or other. This is good advice
> for beginning racers. And since this post to to cat 4 women, I
> agree. However, don't expect this Althoug a supportive environment,
> bike racing is...
>
> RACING. I do not point to the wheel I want to get behind. If I want
> the wheel you are following, I will take it eventually. Another way
> to let a rider know you are on her hip is to lightly put your hand
> on her hip. Then only she knows, and you don't have to worry that
> she didn't hear you. If you point out to me where you plan to go,
> I will assume that it's a good idea (where you're going) so I'm
> more likely to do what I can to prevent your idea. I agree that
> communicating is good for safety, but just remember that you are
> playing a game, and communicating also gives away your plan. As
> your race group gets stronger, you will experience less and less
> communication.
>
> Sorry if I took this too far, or more on the tactical side, just
> some ideas.
>
> -Heather
>
> On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 1:30 AM, Sarah Tisdale
> wrote:
> Here are a few more...
>
>
> > 2. practice getting your water bottle in and out while pedaling.
> Here's one
> > way: move one hand to the center of the handlebars, let go with
> other hand,
> > grab bottle, drink, replace bottle, return hands. Repeat.
>
> Practice this until you can do drink (and replace the bottle) without
> looking down.
>
>
> > 6. know your bike! know what size it is. know that if there is
> a gap in
> > front of another rider, it has to be big enough for you and your
> bike to fit
> > in it, otherwise you'll cause a big crash.
>
> Another version of this is to develop an understanding for how long
> the front wheel of your bike and the rear wheel of others' bikes are.
> When riding in packs, you'll want to stay close for drafting, but you
> don't want to be constantly looking down at the wheel in front of you.
> You want to keep your eyes up and "scanning" - looking several people
> in front of you, then back to the person just in front of you.
> Eventually you get good at telling how close you are without even
> looking down at the wheels. Practice it on training rides.
>
>
> > 9. don't use your brakes as much--try using your body to catch
> wind to slow
> > you down.
>
> Another way to avoid braking is to "read" what the group is doing.
> You should be looking ahead (see above). When the group is fanning
> out wide across the road, it's usually because they're slowing. When
> the group ahead is narrowing, it's usually because they're speeding
> up. Also, if the person in front of you moves out to the side or sits
> up, she's probably trying to slow down. If she's hunkering down low
> right behind (depending on wind direction), she's probably speeding up
> or staying constant. Listen for shifting. Lots of loud shifting
> means something is going on - usually it means the pack is speeding
> up. If you hear shifting, look up! By "reading" the pack, you can
> often react long before the person in front of you. Getting good at
> this can also help reduce the effect of "surging".
>
>
> 17. Remember mentally what gear you're in so you don't have to look
> down. Looking down = bad.
>
> 18. Practice riding close. When riding in a peloton your handlebars
> will get pretty close to the rider next to you. This shouldn't freak
> you out, but it probably will at first. Practice this in training.
> When I ride with my bars <6 inches from a teammate, it becomes
> painfully clear if (when) I'm not keeping my line. This is even
> harder when you're racing hard in a crosswind.
>
> 19. Don't "half-wheel". Half-wheeling, or "overlapping wheels"
> occurs when the front of your front wheel is ahead of the tail of the
> rear wheel of the rider in front of you. By itself it seems
> innocuous, but if the rider in front of you makes a sudden move you
> can end up rubbing tires and (depending on severity, luck, and some
> skill) the rider in back very often crashes. The rider in front
> almost never crashes. Of course, even if you try to avoid it there
> will always be times when overlapping wheels happens. When it does,
> you should have alarm bells ringing in your head. If you're
> overlapping wheels, you need to watch the person in front of you
> *very* carefully and be prepared to get out of the way very quickly if
> they move toward you. If you're a beginner (or even intermediate),
> try not to overlap wheels at all.
>
> 20. Know the other racers. Know who's a strong sprinter can help you
> choose a good wheel in the sprints. Know who has endurance (and who
> doesn't), so you don't have to chase down weaker breaks. Know who's a
> good climber so you can practice your curses and insults as they ride
> off ahead of you on the hills.
>
> Happy racing!
> Sarah
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org
> > [mailto:obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of Rachael
> > Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:45 PM
> > To: obra_women@list.obra.org
> > Subject: [OBRA Women] Racing with 4s
> >
> > One thing I have noticed from reading these email discussions on
> which
> > category should race with which is a regular occurrence of
> comments about
> > cat 4 riders being unsafe,
> > doing stupid things, causing crashes... but there hasn't been
> much in the
> > way of describing what those unsafe riding tactics/actions are. I
> don't
> > think that new cat 4 women want to avoid crashes any less than
> the rest of
> > the field. So far from reading I have picked up on "relax your
> arms" thanks
> > to a very colorful post on the general list. I would like to
> encourage more
> > description of the mistakes that newbies make that you are
> referring to.
> > Maybe less will be made?
> > _______________________________________________
> > OBRA_Women mailing list
> > OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > OBRA_Women mailing list
> > OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
> >
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA_Women mailing list
> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA_Women mailing list
> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women

Kim Rueter

In addition to reading the group, you can read the road and wind too!
Headwinds wreak havoc on the pack. No one wants to be at the front. Everyone
is jostling for a sheltered position. Anticipate this and leave a few more
inches between you and the wheel in front. At Silverton we had a head wind
on that false flat heading north back to the school. We had LOTS of surging,
bumping, and wheel touching going on in this stretch. Thanks to some amazing
recoveries, no one went down. Yeah for that!

Anytime you're near the front of the pack (first 3-4 rows) into a headwind,
please leave a few more inches between you and the wheel in front to "suck
up" pace fluctuations. Moving to the side to take wind isn't always an
option if we're 3 or 4 wide in the lane, but GENTLE and minimal brake use
would have helped minimize the surges that ripple thru the pack.

On 5/19/09 1:30 AM, "Sarah Tisdale" wrote:

> Here are a few more...
>
>
>> 2. practice getting your water bottle in and out while pedaling.  Here's one
>> way:  move one hand to the center of the handlebars, let go with other hand,
>> grab bottle, drink, replace bottle, return hands.  Repeat.
>
> Practice this until you can do drink (and replace the bottle) without
> looking down.
>
>
>> 6.  know your bike!  know what size it is.  know that if there is a gap in
>> front of another rider, it has to be big enough for you and your bike to fit
>> in it, otherwise you'll cause a big crash.
>
> Another version of this is to develop an understanding for how long
> the front wheel of your bike and the rear wheel of others' bikes are.
> When riding in packs, you'll want to stay close for drafting, but you
> don't want to be constantly looking down at the wheel in front of you.
> You want to keep your eyes up and "scanning" - looking several people
> in front of you, then back to the person just in front of you.
> Eventually you get good at telling how close you are without even
> looking down at the wheels. Practice it on training rides.
>
>
>> 9. don't use your brakes as much--try using your body to catch wind to slow
>> you down.
>
> Another way to avoid braking is to "read" what the group is doing.
> You should be looking ahead (see above). When the group is fanning
> out wide across the road, it's usually because they're slowing. When
> the group ahead is narrowing, it's usually because they're speeding
> up. Also, if the person in front of you moves out to the side or sits
> up, she's probably trying to slow down. If she's hunkering down low
> right behind (depending on wind direction), she's probably speeding up
> or staying constant. Listen for shifting. Lots of loud shifting
> means something is going on - usually it means the pack is speeding
> up. If you hear shifting, look up! By "reading" the pack, you can
> often react long before the person in front of you. Getting good at
> this can also help reduce the effect of "surging".
>
>
> 17. Remember mentally what gear you're in so you don't have to look
> down. Looking down = bad.
>
> 18. Practice riding close. When riding in a peloton your handlebars
> will get pretty close to the rider next to you. This shouldn't freak
> you out, but it probably will at first. Practice this in training.
> When I ride with my bars <6 inches from a teammate, it becomes
> painfully clear if (when) I'm not keeping my line. This is even
> harder when you're racing hard in a crosswind.
>
> 19. Don't "half-wheel". Half-wheeling, or "overlapping wheels"
> occurs when the front of your front wheel is ahead of the tail of the
> rear wheel of the rider in front of you. By itself it seems
> innocuous, but if the rider in front of you makes a sudden move you
> can end up rubbing tires and (depending on severity, luck, and some
> skill) the rider in back very often crashes. The rider in front
> almost never crashes. Of course, even if you try to avoid it there
> will always be times when overlapping wheels happens. When it does,
> you should have alarm bells ringing in your head. If you're
> overlapping wheels, you need to watch the person in front of you
> *very* carefully and be prepared to get out of the way very quickly if
> they move toward you. If you're a beginner (or even intermediate),
> try not to overlap wheels at all.
>
> 20. Know the other racers. Know who's a strong sprinter can help you
> choose a good wheel in the sprints. Know who has endurance (and who
> doesn't), so you don't have to chase down weaker breaks. Know who's a
> good climber so you can practice your curses and insults as they ride
> off ahead of you on the hills.
>
> Happy racing!
> Sarah
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org
>> [mailto:obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of Rachael
>> Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:45 PM
>> To: obra_women@list.obra.org
>> Subject: [OBRA Women] Racing with 4s
>>
>> One thing I have noticed from reading these email discussions on which
>> category should race with which is a regular occurrence of comments about
>> cat 4 riders being unsafe,
>> doing stupid things, causing crashes... but there hasn't been much in the
>> way of describing what those unsafe riding tactics/actions are. I don't
>> think that new cat 4 women want to avoid crashes any less than the rest of
>> the field. So far from reading I have picked up on "relax your arms" thanks
>> to a very colorful post on the general list. I would like to encourage more
>> description of the mistakes that newbies make that you are referring to.
>> Maybe less will be made?
>> _______________________________________________
>> OBRA_Women mailing list
>> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
>> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> OBRA_Women mailing list
>> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
>> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA_Women mailing list
> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women

Heather VanValkenburg

Thanks Sarah-

Sarah makes some great points. I just want to elaborate on a couple of
points.
*
19. Don't "half-wheel". Half-wheeling, or "overlapping wheels"
occurs when the front of your front wheel is ahead of the tail of the
rear wheel of the rider in front of you. By itself it seems
innocuous, but if the rider in front of you makes a sudden move you
can end up rubbing tires and (depending on severity, luck, and some
skill) the rider in back very often crashes. The rider in front
almost never crashes. Of course, even if you try to avoid it there
will always be times when overlapping wheels happens. When it does,
you should have alarm bells ringing in your head. If you're
overlapping wheels, you need to watch the person in front of you
*very* carefully and be prepared to get out of the way very quickly if
they move toward you. If you're a beginner (or even intermediate),
try not to overlap wheels at all.*

On that note, do not be surprised to see a racer do this on purpose,
although I wouldn't call it half wheeling, as I would wind protection. This
is more of a tactical piece, but when the wind is gusting from the north and
you are riding northwest (clockwise on the front straight), riding on
someone's hip is much easier than behind her. Much, much, MUCH energy can be
saved by staying out of the wind, and this is not always going to be right
behind the rider in front of you. If you want to safely experiment with
this, you can let the rider in front of you know. I will often ride up along
side her to her hip, so that she can see me out of the corner of her eye,
then drift back to where I know the quietest spot is. Or you don't even have
to overlap the wheel, depending on where wind is coming from. Sometimes it
works just to right to one side or the other of the back wheel, but not
overlap, while staying completely behind.

As your group becomes more experienced, an echelon will form every time the
wind is strong. An echelon is where each rider is overlapping the person in
front on them, sometimes just a little, sometimes all the way to that
person's hip. This requires some trust among the races and knowing what's
going on.

*20. Know the other racers. Know who's a strong sprinter and can help you
choose a good wheel in the sprints. Know who has endurance (and who
doesn't), so you don't have to chase down weaker breaks. Know who's a
good climber so you can practice your curses and insults as they ride
off ahead of you on the hills.*

No one get offended here, but In general, the "big girls" can sprint and the
"little girls" can climb. When racing at PIR, I always look for the bigger
butt to follow, matter whether I know her or not. As long as the group is
together, she's the best wheel for me to follow. I know others are trying
to find me too! It's quiet back there! Like Sarah says, pay attention to
women that attack often and who has the endurance to stay away.

Yesterday there was a comment about letting people know what you are doing
by telling, or pointing, or other. This is good advice for beginning racers.
And since this post to to cat 4 women, I agree. However, don't expect this
Althoug a supportive environment, bike racing is...

RACING. I do not point to the wheel I want to get behind. If I want the
wheel you are following, I will take it eventually. Another way to let a
rider know you are on her hip is to lightly put your hand on her hip. Then
only she knows, and you don't have to worry that she didn't hear you. If
you point out to me where you plan to go, I will assume that it's a good
idea (where you're going) so I'm more likely to do what I can to prevent
your idea. I agree that communicating is good for safety, but just remember
that you are playing a game, and communicating also gives away your plan. As
your race group gets stronger, you will experience less and less
communication.

Sorry if I took this too far, or more on the tactical side, just some ideas.

-Heather

On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 1:30 AM, Sarah Tisdale wrote:

> Here are a few more...
>
>
> > 2. practice getting your water bottle in and out while pedaling. Here's
> one
> > way: move one hand to the center of the handlebars, let go with other
> hand,
> > grab bottle, drink, replace bottle, return hands. Repeat.
>
> Practice this until you can do drink (and replace the bottle) without
> looking down.
>
>
> > 6. know your bike! know what size it is. know that if there is a gap
> in
> > front of another rider, it has to be big enough for you and your bike to
> fit
> > in it, otherwise you'll cause a big crash.
>
> Another version of this is to develop an understanding for how long
> the front wheel of your bike and the rear wheel of others' bikes are.
> When riding in packs, you'll want to stay close for drafting, but you
> don't want to be constantly looking down at the wheel in front of you.
> You want to keep your eyes up and "scanning" - looking several people
> in front of you, then back to the person just in front of you.
> Eventually you get good at telling how close you are without even
> looking down at the wheels. Practice it on training rides.
>
>
> > 9. don't use your brakes as much--try using your body to catch wind to
> slow
> > you down.
>
> Another way to avoid braking is to "read" what the group is doing.
> You should be looking ahead (see above). When the group is fanning
> out wide across the road, it's usually because they're slowing. When
> the group ahead is narrowing, it's usually because they're speeding
> up. Also, if the person in front of you moves out to the side or sits
> up, she's probably trying to slow down. If she's hunkering down low
> right behind (depending on wind direction), she's probably speeding up
> or staying constant. Listen for shifting. Lots of loud shifting
> means something is going on - usually it means the pack is speeding
> up. If you hear shifting, look up! By "reading" the pack, you can
> often react long before the person in front of you. Getting good at
> this can also help reduce the effect of "surging".
>
>
> 17. Remember mentally what gear you're in so you don't have to look
> down. Looking down = bad.
>
> 18. Practice riding close. When riding in a peloton your handlebars
> will get pretty close to the rider next to you. This shouldn't freak
> you out, but it probably will at first. Practice this in training.
> When I ride with my bars <6 inches from a teammate, it becomes
> painfully clear if (when) I'm not keeping my line. This is even
> harder when you're racing hard in a crosswind.
>
> 19. Don't "half-wheel". Half-wheeling, or "overlapping wheels"
> occurs when the front of your front wheel is ahead of the tail of the
> rear wheel of the rider in front of you. By itself it seems
> innocuous, but if the rider in front of you makes a sudden move you
> can end up rubbing tires and (depending on severity, luck, and some
> skill) the rider in back very often crashes. The rider in front
> almost never crashes. Of course, even if you try to avoid it there
> will always be times when overlapping wheels happens. When it does,
> you should have alarm bells ringing in your head. If you're
> overlapping wheels, you need to watch the person in front of you
> *very* carefully and be prepared to get out of the way very quickly if
> they move toward you. If you're a beginner (or even intermediate),
> try not to overlap wheels at all.
>
> 20. Know the other racers. Know who's a strong sprinter can help you
> choose a good wheel in the sprints. Know who has endurance (and who
> doesn't), so you don't have to chase down weaker breaks. Know who's a
> good climber so you can practice your curses and insults as they ride
> off ahead of you on the hills.
>
> Happy racing!
> Sarah
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org
> > [mailto:obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of Rachael
> > Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:45 PM
> > To: obra_women@list.obra.org
> > Subject: [OBRA Women] Racing with 4s
> >
> > One thing I have noticed from reading these email discussions on which
> > category should race with which is a regular occurrence of comments about
> > cat 4 riders being unsafe,
> > doing stupid things, causing crashes... but there hasn't been much in the
> > way of describing what those unsafe riding tactics/actions are. I don't
> > think that new cat 4 women want to avoid crashes any less than the rest
> of
> > the field. So far from reading I have picked up on "relax your arms"
> thanks
> > to a very colorful post on the general list. I would like to encourage
> more
> > description of the mistakes that newbies make that you are referring to.
> > Maybe less will be made?
> > _______________________________________________
> > OBRA_Women mailing list
> > OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > OBRA_Women mailing list
> > OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> > http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
> >
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA_Women mailing list
> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>

Sarah Tisdale

Here are a few more...

> 2. practice getting your water bottle in and out while pedaling.  Here's one
> way:  move one hand to the center of the handlebars, let go with other hand,
> grab bottle, drink, replace bottle, return hands.  Repeat.

Practice this until you can do drink (and replace the bottle) without
looking down.

> 6.  know your bike!  know what size it is.  know that if there is a gap in
> front of another rider, it has to be big enough for you and your bike to fit
> in it, otherwise you'll cause a big crash.

Another version of this is to develop an understanding for how long
the front wheel of your bike and the rear wheel of others' bikes are.
When riding in packs, you'll want to stay close for drafting, but you
don't want to be constantly looking down at the wheel in front of you.
You want to keep your eyes up and "scanning" - looking several people
in front of you, then back to the person just in front of you.
Eventually you get good at telling how close you are without even
looking down at the wheels. Practice it on training rides.

> 9. don't use your brakes as much--try using your body to catch wind to slow
> you down.

Another way to avoid braking is to "read" what the group is doing.
You should be looking ahead (see above). When the group is fanning
out wide across the road, it's usually because they're slowing. When
the group ahead is narrowing, it's usually because they're speeding
up. Also, if the person in front of you moves out to the side or sits
up, she's probably trying to slow down. If she's hunkering down low
right behind (depending on wind direction), she's probably speeding up
or staying constant. Listen for shifting. Lots of loud shifting
means something is going on - usually it means the pack is speeding
up. If you hear shifting, look up! By "reading" the pack, you can
often react long before the person in front of you. Getting good at
this can also help reduce the effect of "surging".

17. Remember mentally what gear you're in so you don't have to look
down. Looking down = bad.

18. Practice riding close. When riding in a peloton your handlebars
will get pretty close to the rider next to you. This shouldn't freak
you out, but it probably will at first. Practice this in training.
When I ride with my bars <6 inches from a teammate, it becomes
painfully clear if (when) I'm not keeping my line. This is even
harder when you're racing hard in a crosswind.

19. Don't "half-wheel". Half-wheeling, or "overlapping wheels"
occurs when the front of your front wheel is ahead of the tail of the
rear wheel of the rider in front of you. By itself it seems
innocuous, but if the rider in front of you makes a sudden move you
can end up rubbing tires and (depending on severity, luck, and some
skill) the rider in back very often crashes. The rider in front
almost never crashes. Of course, even if you try to avoid it there
will always be times when overlapping wheels happens. When it does,
you should have alarm bells ringing in your head. If you're
overlapping wheels, you need to watch the person in front of you
*very* carefully and be prepared to get out of the way very quickly if
they move toward you. If you're a beginner (or even intermediate),
try not to overlap wheels at all.

20. Know the other racers. Know who's a strong sprinter can help you
choose a good wheel in the sprints. Know who has endurance (and who
doesn't), so you don't have to chase down weaker breaks. Know who's a
good climber so you can practice your curses and insults as they ride
off ahead of you on the hills.

Happy racing!
Sarah

> -----Original Message-----
> From: obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org
> [mailto:obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of Rachael
> Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:45 PM
> To: obra_women@list.obra.org
> Subject: [OBRA Women] Racing with 4s
>
> One thing I have noticed from reading these email discussions on which
> category should race with which is a regular occurrence of comments about
> cat 4 riders being unsafe,
> doing stupid things, causing crashes... but there hasn't been much in the
> way of describing what those unsafe riding tactics/actions are. I don't
> think that new cat 4 women want to avoid crashes any less than the rest of
> the field. So far from reading I have picked up on "relax your arms" thanks
> to a very colorful post on the general list. I would like to encourage more
> description of the mistakes that newbies make that you are referring to.
> Maybe less will be made?
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA_Women mailing list
> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>
> _______________________________________________
> OBRA_Women mailing list
> OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
> http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women
>

Pamela Archer

To OBRA estrogen-land:
Here's my cat 4 advice, take it with a grain of salt. Hopefully some of the
other more experienced riders will have more to contribute.

1. don't grip your handlebars like they're about to fall off. On the
bumpiest roads, you don't even have to hold them!

2. practice getting your water bottle in and out while pedaling. Here's one
way: move one hand to the center of the handlebars, let go with other hand,
grab bottle, drink, replace bottle, return hands. Repeat.

3. practice touching and bumping into your friends. Do this on the lawn at
first. Practice riding in groups. Practice descending in groups.

4. (safely) goof off when you're commuting or training. Practice
maneuvering. I get the feeling that women forget what it was like to goof
off as a little kid on a bike. practice grabbing a water bottle off the
ground. Practice adjusting your brakes and your shifter cables. Practice
standing up, sitting down, cornering, etc. bunny hop things! PLAY on your
bike.

5. don't panic! At the King's Valley RR, everybody FREAKED out and got
twitchy when they anticipated a break getting away. You have to trust that
the people at the front of the pack are going to chase it down. If you
don't trust them, you should already be at the front ready to respond to an
attack.

6. know your bike! know what size it is. know that if there is a gap in
front of another rider, it has to be big enough for you and your bike to fit
in it, otherwise you'll cause a big crash.

7. be respectful! But talk! I'm sorry, but for most of us, bike racing is
something we do on the weekends with our friends. It is a serious,
expensive hobby, but it's still a hobby for most racers except for the top
category! Get over yourself, and if you did something wrong, apologize! If
you did something wrong and you get called out on it, don't get defensive
but use it as a learning opportunity.

8. have fun. That should be #1. But then I would have to renumber my
list, and I'm lazy.

9. don't use your brakes as much--try using your body to catch wind to slow
you down.

10. for Pete's sake, stop racing defensively and start racing aggressively.
I call it OBRA defensive driving. Take a chance, try a new tactic, and
learn from it! So what if you lose energy doing it. A tough racer and true
winner will be capable of attacking and still being able to hang with it
'till the end. And if you're not there yet, keep working!

11. tell people where you're going. Point, ask, whatever.

12. spend time on your bike.

14. spend time on your other bikes. Learn to mtn bike. learn to jump
curbs. Learn how to stand up and put your arms in the air while descending.
Eventually you won't think of all this stuff and you'll instinctively ride
your bike.

15. a successful racer doesn't just do one thing right--she does EVERYTHING
right. she has endurance, she has mad handling skills, she has confidence,
she knows how to deploy race tactics, and she is mentally tough. It's not
just about one thing--it's about the complete racer. And for most people,
it doesn't happen overnight.

16. and finally, be patient.

Pamela Archer
parcher@umn.edu
541.740.4026

-----Original Message-----
From: obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org
[mailto:obra_women-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of Rachael
Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2009 9:45 PM
To: obra_women@list.obra.org
Subject: [OBRA Women] Racing with 4s

One thing I have noticed from reading these email discussions on which
category should race with which is a regular occurrence of comments about
cat 4 riders being unsafe,
doing stupid things, causing crashes... but there hasn't been much in the
way of describing what those unsafe riding tactics/actions are. I don't
think that new cat 4 women want to avoid crashes any less than the rest of
the field. So far from reading I have picked up on "relax your arms" thanks
to a very colorful post on the general list. I would like to encourage more
description of the mistakes that newbies make that you are referring to.
Maybe less will be made?
_______________________________________________
OBRA_Women mailing list
OBRA_Women@list.obra.org
http://list.obra.org/mailman/listinfo/obra_women